If you leave for a few days this winter or plan on spending the holidays elsewhere, you should leave your thermostat set to an even 50 degrees. This way if there is a cold snap your pipes will stay nice and warm! If you turn off your heat and the pipes freeze, it will not only be a huge mess for you but it can also be very costly!!!

Also ………… on those even colder winter nights, even when you are home, if you leave a faucet dripping somewhere in the house your pipes will not freeze.

And don’t forget to check all your outside faucets and exposed pipes to make certain they are well wrapped in winter foam insulation —

Ever the worrier!

Lynda

]]>A TALE OF TWO HOUSING BUSTShttp://www.dacosse.com/a-tale-of-two-housing-busts/
Fri, 12 Nov 2010 19:40:18 +0000http://dacosse.com/?p=2234Why is California recovering and Florida still struggling in the current housing industry crisis?

Interesting article in the L.A. Times:

California and Florida had a lot in common during the housing industry’s last boom-and-bust cycle.

Both were overrun by buyers hooked on high-risk mortgages, speculators who helped push prices to historic peaks and builders who didn’t know when to stop. When the bubble burst, the two states became leaders in mortgage defaults, price declines and tracts of unsold new homes.

But in the last year or so, California’s housing market, though still weak, has begun recovering, while Florida’s remains on the critical list.

There are several reasons for the difference, but many experts say a key one is the approach to foreclosure.

California keeps things less complicated and largely outside the courtroom, making it easier for banks to seize and resell homes. Like 22 other states, Florida requires that repossessions be approved by judges, which some argue provides extra protection for homeowners but can delay the process for months.

“The California process is very efficient, and that allows the state to work through the foreclosure morass much more quickly, and the result is a more stable housing market and economy,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody’s Economy.com.

“Florida, in contrast, because of the process being so mucked up there, they still have a long way to go in working through their problem loans, and so their housing economy remains under significant pressure,” he said.

Home prices in the two states tell the tale.

California home sales and prices have tapered off since the boost from federal tax credits for buyers vanished in July, but home values are up considerably from the worst days of the bust. The median price for town homes, condominiums and single-family houses in September was $265,000, up 20% from the bottom in April 2009, according to MDA DataQuick.

In Florida, prices in much of the state have struggled to find a bottom. The median price of a single-family home in Florida was $133,400 in September, a 48% decline from its June 2006 peak, according to data from the Florida Assn. of Realtors. Condominium prices have seen an even bigger plunge, with the statewide median hitting $83,400 in September, a 61% drop from its June 2006 peak.

Another closely watched indicator, the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller index, shows prices in Los Angeles up 10% from their bottom, San Diego up 14% and San Francisco up 21%. In Miami, home prices have remained relatively flat, up 2% from their bottom, and Tampa-area prices have yet to stop falling.

The different types of foreclosure systems have come into focus in recent weeks after major lenders acknowledged that in some states where a court order was required to seize a home they had employed so-called robo-signers, who attested to the accuracy of foreclosure documents without reading them.

Those improprieties prompted some major banks to halt foreclosure proceedings temporarily, sparked investigations by state and federal agencies and led to calls for a national foreclosure moratorium, which the Obama administration has resisted.

The paperwork fiasco brought to light a cold fact: Calling in a judge slows the repossession machine.

The average borrower in default lost the home after failing to make mortgage payments for 25 months in Florida and the other states where court approval is required for repossessions, according to a study by Amherst Securities Group. The average is 19 months in California and other so-called nonjudicial states.

The process could be even faster in states like California, but banks have been slowed by moratoriums, loan-modification programs and their own efforts to manage the number of properties reaching the market.

Such interim restrictions, as well as the slower court process, may be more fair to borrowers who were hustled into risky loans they didn’t understand and more merciful to those who temporarily fell behind in their house payments because of short-term financial problems.

But harsh as it sounds, experts said, failing to foreclose on borrowers who can’t afford to stay in their homes only delays a recovery for housing and the general economy.

“Trying to get the volume of foreclosures that you need to take place is difficult,” said Sean M. Snaith, director of the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Economic Competitiveness. “As long as these homes are in foreclosure purgatory, we haven’t completed that process, and it is hard to talk about stabilization.”

The San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau and the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation are hosting their Winter Wine Evening fundraiser on Saturday, November 13, 2010, at the Paso Robles Event Center. The event features a fine array of local wines, delicious hors d’oeuvres and silent auction. Tickets cost $40 each. For more information, call the Farm Bureau at (805) 543-3654.

I would like to take a moment to invite you to Parkfield for Thanksgiving Dinner. Think about it, no cooking, no cleaning and yes the game will be on! Chris and I will be hosting a Traditional Thanksgiving Buffet in the Country.

Here are the details:

Seating starts at 1:00pm to 6:00pm on Thursday 11/25/10.

$12.95 for Kids 10 and under- All you can eat
$15.95 Seniors (60+) -All up can eat
$18.95 for Adult- one trip through the buffet
$25.95 for Adult -all you can eat.

Reservations are required. Please call 805 463 2421 (rooms in the lodge are still avaliable as well.)

It’s been a cool, cruel summer for local vintners. With historically low temperatures, winemakers across the state are pushing back their harvests anywhere from two to six weeks, hoping the grapes ripen up before rain hits. “Mother Nature is throwing some extreme curve balls at us,” said John Bargetto, owner of Bargetto Winery and Regan Estate Vineyards. Locally, the harvest typically lasts about six weeks, from September into October. This year, Bargetto thinks he and his team will start harvesting in early October. Harvest has begun, though, in other parts of the state, including areas of the Sacramento delta.

– SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL

]]>THE VELOCITY OF MONEYhttp://www.dacosse.com/the-velocity-of-money/
Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:12:30 +0000http://dacosse.com/?p=2069The Following Article is brought to you by my good Friend Kim Rivas at KD CAPTAIL …. I hope you find the information informative! ….. Have a great week!! Lynda

WORKIN’ NINE TO FIVE… WHAT A WAY TO MAKE A LIVIN’…” Dolly Parton. But unfortunately, last week’s Jobs Report was worse than expected, showing more and more people aren’t workin’ nine to five or any other kind of full time job. So what does this mean for our economy and home loan rates? Read on to find out.

Last Friday’s Jobs Report showed that 131,000 jobs were lost for the private and government sectors, versus the 87,000 job losses expected. To add insult to injury, the revisions for June showed nearly 100,000 more jobs lost than had been previously reported. While some of the losses were due to the government laying off temporary census workers, the private sector was also disappointing, showing 71,000 job creations for July, worse than expectations of 83,000… and well short of the market’s hope of 100,000. Rounding out the report, the Unemployment Rate remained steady at 9.5%, just below the 9.6% anticipated.

In addition, something to keep in mind is that the State governments are now under major pressure because of growing budget deficits. With tax revenues declining and budget cuts needed, States are finally having to make cuts like the private sector already has. As they start to catch up in making cut-backs to headcount, this could cause the unemployment rate to worsen. Not very good news, as an improvement in the labor market is needed to fuel the economic recovery… and especially disappointing, considering the money that has been injected to try and remedy this situation.

Also in the news, the Commerce Department reported last week that Personal Spending and Incomes were unchanged in June, due to a slowing of the economic recovery in the spring. In addition, the Savings Rate increased as consumers cut back on spending.

Why is all this significant… and what does it have to do with interest rates? It has to do with something called the velocity of money. Even though the government keeps pumping money into the system, nothing happens until that money is spent or lent, and passes from one hand to another, or one business to another. The speed at which this money passes between parties is called the velocity of money. With the job market still very sluggish, consumers aren’t spending much money these days… and businesses are still reluctant to spend money making investments in their business. With present velocity at low levels, inflation remains subdued… however, once velocity increases, the excess money in the system will cause inflation.

And remember, inflation is the arch enemy of Bonds and home loan rates… which means that even the scent of inflation can cause home loan rates to worsen.

While we certainly want to see better Jobs Report numbers in the future, Bonds and home loan rates were able to benefit from the poor report. Remember, weak economic news often causes money to flow from Stocks to Bonds as traders seek to protect their investments in the safer haven of Bonds. As a result, Bonds and home loan rates ended the week slightly better than where they began.

If you or anyone you know would like to learn more about taking advantage of historically low home loan rates, please don’t hesitate to call or email. Or forward this newsletter on to anyone you think may benefit and I’d be happy to talk to them free of charge.

ACING A JOB INTERVIEW IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN TODAY’S TOUGH JOB MARKET. CHECK OUT THE MORTGAGE MARKET GUIDE VIEW FOR SOME TIPS ON HAVING A GREAT WEB CAM INTERVIEW.

As a Member of California Women for Ag., I received this interesting information which I thought you might enjoy! – Lynda

Brad Erickson, a Paso Robles machinist who makes wine with home-grown grapes, just won Best in Show with his port wine in the California Mid-State Fair competition. Tom Johnson, an optometrist with offices in Paso Robles and Atascadero, makes wine after work and on weekends. He’s bottling his first vintage this year. Steve Autry, a former aerospace engineering technician in Los Angeles, moved to San Luis Obispo 10 years ago to learn about winemaking. He started with a box of juice, what he calls a “dump and stir … kind of like cake in a box.” He now has his own winery and tasting room, producing 800 cases a year.

]]>The Leopard and the Golden Retriever: The Best of Friendshttp://www.dacosse.com/the-leopard-and-the-golden-retriever-the-best-of-friends/
Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:58:38 +0000http://dacosse.com/?p=2051August 3, 2010 …. I thought you all might enjoy this neat story sent to me by Louise Zimmer …. enjoy!

It’s a role reversal not commonly seen, but then the cat chasing this dog is a little larger than most. Salati, a ten-month-old leopard, and her best friend, golden retriever Tommy, like nothing more than to run amok before settling down for a friendly cuddle. The odd couple were reared together at Glen Afric Country Lodge near Pretoria in South Africa.

Salati, a ten-month-old leopard, leans in for a cuddle with her best friend, Golden Retriever Tommy Animal wrangler Richard Brooker, 23, raised Salati and takes her and family dog Tommy for their daily exercise together. Each morning, he walks them on his family's 1,850-acre estate and then lets them run free to their hearts' content. He said: 'Wherever you see one, the other is right behind. They are inseparable and both have lots of energy so they get the exercise they both need together.

The pair take daily walks together at the Glen Afric Country Lodge near Pretoria in South Africa 'When we first received Salati she was tiny and Tommy could chase her around. But now with Salati matching him for weight the tables have turned. 'It's all fun and games and they love playing together. 'But dogs aren't used to being chased by cats almost the same size as them. I think it was a shock for him when she started doing the chasing but it's fun to see them exploring together.

Tommy and Salati enjoy a bit of rough and tumble in the South African bush. As a cub Salati was much smaller than friendly Tommy, who weighs 18lb. But the fast-growing predator now packs a bigger punch at a hefty 40lb, more than twice the weight of her excitable dog friend. Mr Brooker added: 'Dogs need to walk and going out with Tommy for a ramble in the bushes means Salati develops properly into a fit adult leopard.

The pair lay contentedly together in the boot of the four-wheel drive 'I take them out in the truck so they can have a good run-around together in lots of space.' Rescued as an orphaned cub, Salati was donated by a local vet to the family-run country retreat, which helps to rehabilitate injured and destitute animals. Breeding programs at the spectacular venue also ensure that some of their animals who will never be able to survive in the wild enjoy the good life within huge enclosures. The Brookers' hard work has helped boost wildlife numbers in the area.. They have over 200 animals across 32 species on the grounds. The stunning getaway is visited by resident guests staying at the lodge and day visitors who want to see Africa's amazing creatures including lions, elephants and giraffes.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way in which its animals are treated. To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being” — Mahatma Gandhi

As a Member of California Women For Ag, I am fortunate to receive important and interesting information which I will continue to add to my web page.

– Lynda

The Sonoma County grape harvest is at least two weeks behind schedule, worrying growers that October rains could lead to devastating mold and crop loss. “It’s a major concern,” said Nick Frey, president of the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission. “The cold weather this week is certainly not helping any.” The season got off to a late start in May, when unusually cold and wet weather interrupted the blooming of many vines. “This year has been behind from the get go,” said Chris Bowen, vineyard manager of Hunter Farms south of Glen Ellen. Bowen is often the first to begin harvesting in Sonoma County because his pinot noir grows in a region unusually warm for sparkling wine grapes. Last year, he started harvesting Aug. 10. This year, he expects he will be waiting “at least a couple weeks” later than that to begin picking.